Bourbon and cola, tonic, etc.

I like bourbon neat, however, especially at the beginning of the summer here, I like some bourbon mixes as well. I tried the mint julep first, it was very good, IMO. Then I tried bourbon and tonic water on the rocks, it was good, too. Today, I prepared a bourbon-cola mix. on the rocks ( 2 oz. bourbon and 2-3 oz. cola). This was very good, too.

Important point is that, IMO, I can taste the bourbon "taste" regardless of whatever mix. it is in. In all aspects, I mean the flavour, the finish, etc. Only "body" is lost of course..Then, given that bourbon preserves its main characteristics in mixtures, then it can be enjoyed in this way as well as it can be enjoyed neat. There's much opposition on the internet for mixing, but for now, I'm opposing the opposition and I enjoy bourbon both neat or by mixing. What do you think?

I agree with you mrt and the bourbon and Canadian whisky markets surely depend on the logic you enunciated; were it otherwise the vast proportion of bourbon and Canadian whisky buyers would not mix, yet we know they do.

IMHO ("H" in this context, anyway ) passing up the pleasure that mixed drinks can bring is equal to passing up the pleasure that drinking neat can bring. The only difference is that the latter may require a better quality bourbon.

In the past I was guilty of snobbery in that regard. What I have learned here has almost cured me of that failing. Now the only reason I seldom mix is mostly due to my unadventurous nature, mixed with a dash of laziness.

At least I no longer feel as though I'm betraying some noble cause when I nearly fill a tall glass with ginger ale and ice, and then top it off with a shot or two of bourbon or, more likely, mid-shelf rye.

I also drink an occasional whiskey sour when my wife and I eat at a better-than-average restaurant. I've found that adding a mere two words to my drink order makes a world of difference in most places. The two words? "Wild Turkey"

I used to drink my bourbon in shots and/or mix it with my beer. My favorite was to mix Wild Turkey (I’ve made this with 101, RB, KS, and RR101 but it doesn’t have to be Wild Turkey, any will do.) with Fantome saison ale (Preferably Noel or Automne) to make a boilermaker (without the shot glass) that I called The Fantome Turkey. I don’t know if fantome really translates to “phantom” or “ghost” but it sounds cool. Then one day I was in a store and found myself buying a snifter and later discovered that I enjoyed it more this way. I still make the Fantome Turkey’s occasionally but I typically don’t use any premium bourbons to make them.

WT101 (or any of the stronger bourbons out there) with Wild Cherry Pepsi is pretty good too.

I used to drink my bourbon in shots and/or mix it with my beer. My favorite was to mix Wild Turkey (I’ve made this with 101, RB, KS, and RR101 but it doesn’t have to be Wild Turkey, any will do.) with Fantome saison ale (Preferably Noel or Automne) to make a boilermaker (without the shot glass) that I called The Fantome Turkey. I don’t know if fantome really translates to “phantom” or “ghost” but it sounds cool. Then one day I was in a store and found myself buying a snifter and later discovered that I enjoyed it more this way. I still make the Fantome Turkey’s occasionally but I typically don’t use any premium bourbons to make them.

WT101 (or any of the stronger bourbons out there) with Wild Cherry Pepsi is pretty good too.

I guess my answer here is 'more power to you' and 'been there, done that". I have tried just about every mixed drink and soda w/bourbon. At my age & in my thinking though, I am way past that now. If not neat or with a couple of ice cubes, it ain't gonna work for me.

Last edited by ProofPositive; 05-24-2006 at 00:22.

"All I can say is that I have taken more out of alcohol than it has taken out of me".....Winston Churchill

An Old Fashioned is a fine drink, and I use pretty good stuff when I make them.

If it's going to be bourbon and Coke, then I use Evan Williams.

I haven't had the new Evan William's no age statement yet, but I think the old 7 year old ranks as a pretty good bourbon.

I have tried Booker's and Coke, remembering what Booker Noe said, "I don't care if you mix Booker's with Coke, but if you do it will be the best damn Bourbon and Coke you have ever had." Or words to that effect. I found that I disagree with him. I love Booker's neat or with a little water, but in Coke I found that this flavorful bourbon overpowered the Coke. It was less enjoyable than either on its own.

I don't drink much Bourbon and Coke. What I have found so far is that younger bourbons mix well and older bourbons don't. I. W. Harper (four years old, I think) is particularly nice. I don't have anything against using expensive bourbon in a Bourbon and Coke, if it is the best bourbon for the job. After all, here in Japan, fresh squeezed lime juice is nearly as expensive as Booker's. I certainly don't have anything against using lime juice in a mixed drink.
Ed

I've made a Sazerac using the 18yo Sazerac Rye... once. It was out-of-this-world good, though! But they're wonderful drinks even with less-expensive, easier-to-find ryes, so I normally go with Saz Jr., Rittenhouse BIB, or WT rye.